March 18, 1987
Dear Mr. Chairman:
In accordance with the provisions of Public Law 99 - 661, Section 1364, the Department of State, in close coordination with the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has prepared a report for me on Foreign Espionage in the United States.
Attached you will find the unclassified version of the report. The classified version, which sets forth recommendations which we believe will assist the U.S. counterintelligence community to curtail espionage against the United States, will be forwarded separately by my Assistant for National Security Affairs.
As you will recall, the Administration, in concert with the Congress, undertook a comprehensive review of our counterintelligence, security and countermeasures plans, programs and capabilities. The results of this review were detailed in my report to Congress on November 14, 1986. That study sets forth, in far more detail than this report, policies and programs which I have directed be established and/or improved to deal with the hostile intelligence threat to the national security of the United States. We are continuing to work very hard to put in place these recommended changes. Clearly, sufficient funding to implement fully counterintelligence, security and countermeasures improvements remains a limiting factor.
While we cannot ensure espionage can be completely curtailed, I am pleased that the Administration and Congress together are making significant progress to deal with this problem, and it remains a matter of high national priority.
Sincerely,
Ronald Reagan
Note: Identical letters were sent to David L. Boren, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; Claiborne Pell, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; Louis Stokes, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; and Dante B. Fascell, chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.